Packing cases intended for transporting flat glass



Get. 29, 1957 s. SWAIN ETAL PACKING CASES INTENDED FOR TRANSPORTING FLAT GLASS Filed June 10. 1953 INVENTORS.

ATTO R N E PACKING CASES INTENDED FOR PORTING FLAT GLASS Application June 10, 1953, Serial No. 360,738

Claims priority, application Great Britain September 23, 1952 Claims. c1. 206-62 TRANS- This invention relates to improvements inor relating to packing cases intended for transporting flat glass.

Heretofore a case for the packaging of flat glass has been constructed on a U frame which comprises'the bottom and end walls of the case, and to this U frame boards are nailed constituting the sides of the case, a lid being, secured to the end wallsand sides by nailing.

Long experience of handling such cases has indicated the necessity of continued vigilance in seeing that the case is not overturned on its side. If this happens, it causes more or less breakage of the sheets of glass in the case.

The cases also have the disadvantage of being heavy and consequently have a considerable bearing on freight charges. j r 1 f A main object 'of the present invention is to provide a packing case for flat glass which can be handled quite easily by unskilled labor without damage to the contained commodity, and to provide a case in which the glassbecomes readily available without destroyingthe case so that the latter may be used for storing glass after some hasfbeen removed from the case, and a further main object is to constructa case having the advantages above mentioned which shall be light'compared with the wellknown wooden cases.

t The present invention comprehends a novel principle of structure for cases intended for packaging fiat glass characterized by the combination of cavity walls with the U frames forming the narrow bottom and narrow end walls of the case.

- A packing case for flat glass constructed in accordance with the present invention comprises cavity wall units each constituted by the mounting of panels on each 'side of a peripheral frame which separate the panels at such a dis tance apart that the panels cannot-touch by flexing, the' peripheral frame being secured to the elements'ofthe Uframe.

.The means securing the panels to the peripheral'frame' are preferably also employed to secure the cavity wall assemblies to the U frame. 7

Accordingly if the inner panel was not present the peripheral frame would register with the elements of the U frame.

With such form of construction ordinary blows on the outer panel are taken up by the outer panel flexing or distributing the effect to the peripheral frame and if the force strikes the area of the panel overlapping the periph eral' frame the latter passes the stresses throughtheU frame, thus leaving the glass unharmed. V j

The panels may be formed of resin impregnated sheet material, solid fibre board or thin'wood but preferably, are formed for sake of lightness "combined with strength coupled with the capacity to flex, of. corrugated fibre board.

A preferred formof packing case for flat glass constructed. according to the present invention is character ised by the inner'pan'el of both cavity wall units being constituted of corrugated fibre board and the outer panel rates Patent-J 0 Batented Oct. 29, 19,57

, 2 of one of the cavity wall units including an articulation parallel to the lid and bottom of the case.

By corrugated fibre board is meant that well-known industrial commodity which consists of a corrugated sheet of cardboardsecured by adhesive between two flat sheets of cardboard. The grade and strength of thefibre board will be chosen according to the load which the packing case is intended to carry. The outer panels of s the cavity, wall units may be made of solid fibre board, resin impregnated sheet material or of thin wood. The top of the panel, which is provided with the articulation, may be separate from the rest of the panel, but hingedlyconnected thereto for example by a flexible element so that the top part can be hinged rela-. tively to the part below the articulation, thus the panelling including the articulation can be readily opened back and then the inner panel, being formed of corrugated fibre board, is sufficiently resilient to permit it being bent away from the glass in order to give access to the nearest sheet of glass. r t

The articulated outer panel maybe formed by constructing the outer panelof one continuous sheet'of suitable material and weakening the sheet-to form the articulation in the panel. 1 5

Alternatively, the articulated panel may be formed of corrugated fibre board and the outer ply thereof scored to form the articulation. s g g v Each cavity wall unit may be constructed on a rectangular framein which eachend element of the frame is overlapped at each endby the top and bottom elements of the frame, the inner and outer panel elements being secured toeach side of the frame,the inner panel onthe one sidewall unit of the case being scored at the level of the inner face of the bottom of the U frame and bea er right angles at the score line' and extended beyond the score line to cover the bottom of 'the U frame,:arid 'the outer panel of the other sidewall unit'naving aseor line near the top so that the top of the outer panel can be hinged back as a flap thereto to facilitatefaccess-to' the-glass. Y

In order that the invention may be more clearly under stood, a preferred form of embodiment thereof in' a packing case will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing which depicts approximately'to scale a case constructed to contain 50- square feet of sheet glass. p

In the drawings, Fig.1 is a perspective exploded view illustrating the construction of the members of the packing case; and

Fig. 2 is. a perspective of theassembled and closed packing case. i 1 i In the construction illustrated the U-shaped frame-of the packing case of rigid construction is made of'woodof about inch thick and comprises a bottom 1 'forthe case and two end walls'2 secured to the bottom by'nailingi each end wall, having a batten 3 secured-',thereto near the 1 top and bottom,-for example'by nailing, .said battens over-"- lapping the, end walls 2 team extent to accommodatebe tween the overlaps the cavity side walls of the, cas'e,-so& that the ends of the battens lie flush with the outerfa'ces. of the'cavity wall units." i i 1 The cavity wallunits eachcomprisea' rectangulariframe; including'end elements 4, and top and bottom eleme'ntsS, the top and bottom elements overlying the contiguous ends of the side elements 4. Thecavity wall units at each side ofthe case are completed by attaching tothe rectangular" frame inner and outer panels .6, 7'which are secured to: their respectiveframes; 7 y a v On the one side of the U shaped frame theouterpanel; of the cavity vwall unit is nailed to all fourelementspf then. wall fram'efand the inner panel 6 is secured to the top element 5 and the side elements 4 of the frame by the nails which secure the outer-panel thereto. 'lfhe inner panel, however, is of greater length than the inner face to the case by the width of the bottom 1 of the U shaped frame. Th inner panel; v ssmred a o a, ,a-line indi a ed at 8 so that the extension; Qcanbe folded at; rightangles-of the inner panel and comn et lxo t ie thebQ wngQf; the ush pedframe. I V; l r l The o he ca ity w ll-unit i c nstitu ed: ra n s; Panel 6. whi h is nailed to the tWQside. elements land the bottom elem n S o th tespe tive pa l ame ut s not secured to the top element 5, whilst the outer'panel; '7. is scored alo g the ine indica ed t 1 se at he im panel ar iculat d at he. core line; aad aa'i e sw n outwardly as flap tothe par belo the seat l ne as is learly ho n, in the dra in The outer panel secu ed. to' hebm e and si e wal elem nts. by na ng, and. t e. mail ng i used. to sc nts, he n r panel to e p n l fr ming, t e BE Pa t; of th out P n ha s. h p rt. abo e he s ate ne 10, is free of the side elements 4, but is secured, tor-example by staples, to the top element which therefore is movable with the flap. portion about the score line.

The two panels constituted as herein described, are nailed to the U frame by the nails securing the panels to the panel frame. When the panels are secured in position against the U frame and flat glass is packed tightly therein; the lid 11 is nailed on.

The one receiving the case ofglass can readily remove the, lid without spoiling the case, and the upper part of the panel having the score line can then be tilted back as shown in the drawing, and the inner wall: can be bent back as diagrammatically illustrated in a somewhat exag gerated manner by the chain line 12, giving easy access to the nearest sheet of glass, and if only one or two sheets have to be removed, the, outer panel can be placed back in upright, position, and the lid reapplied to again complete the packing case. 1

Experiments have shown that a packed packing case con-v structed accordin g to the invention can be roughly handled, even to the'extent of being thrown over on to its side, without damage to the glass, which effect is astonishing to those used to packing flat glass for transport.

A packing case constructed according to the invention is easily assembled, can be manipulated by unskilled labor, and is light compared to the well-known wooden packing cases, so that not only is there a great saving in loss by damage to the owners of the glass, but less cost is involved in the transport of the, glass, whilst the accessibility of the glass afforded by the flexible inner panels of the cavity walls avoids damage to the crate or ing access thereto.

We claim:

1. A relatively flat and narrow packing case for packing fiat glass, comprising a U-frame constituting a narrow bottom and narrow end walls to the said case, side wall units having a surface area substantially larger than said end wall units, said side walls each comprising a pair of inner and outer panels and a peripheral framesecured to said U-frame and separating said inner and outer panels one from the other, said peripheral frame being of such thickness that the panels of each pair are incapable of touching each other by flexing, and a lid for closing the said case, the outer panel of one side wall unit including a flap articulated about a score line near the top'thereof parallel to the said lid and the said bottom.

2. A relatively flat and narrow pack-ing case for pack-- one from the other, said peripheral frame being ofsnch;

damage to the glass in gaina -1.21am

,thickmss hat he pa e s 9 sash, pa r are n apable o touching each other by flexing, the inner panel of at least one side wall unit comprising corrugated fibre board and being extended in length and folded back substantially at right angles to overlie the said bottom, and a lid for closing the said case, thejouter panel of at least onev side wall unit beingtcomposed of corrugated fibre board and including a flap articulated about a score line near the top thereof parallel to the said lidand the said bottom.

3-. A relatively fiat and narrow packing case, for packing fiat glass, comprising a rigid U-frame having narrow bottom and narrowend walls and open on opposite sides, each of said walls constituting a rigid board arranged so that their edges face the sides ofv said frame, said U- frame serving as a receptacle to receive therein flat glass extending transverse to the planes ofsaid boards, two side wall units closing the open sides of said U-frame, and secured. here o a a s he edges of i U-fr me, each of said sidewall units having a surface area sub stantially larger than that of either of said end walls, and comprising a pair of spaced inner and outer panels extending across the corresponding side of said U-frame, and a peripheral frame separating and secured to said inner and outer panels, said peripheral frame being of such thickness that the panels of each pair of panels are incapable of touching each other by flexing, whereby any stress on the outer panel is transmitted to the peripheral frame and from said peripheral frame to said U-frame edgewise thereof, and a lid for closing the case.

4. A relatively flat and narrow packing case for pack-; ing flat glass as described in claim 3, wherein battens are secured to said end walls and extend outwardly beyond the edges of said end walls and across the ends of said wall units to confine said wall units in position against the edges of said Uaframe.

5. In combination, a relatively fiat and narrow packing case, comprising a rigid U-frame having narrow bottom and narrow end walls and open on opposite sides, each of said walls constituting a rigid board arranged so that their edges face the sides of said frame, said U-frame serving as a receptacle for flat glass, two side wall units closing the open sides of said U-frame, and secured thereto against the edges of said U-frame, each of said side wall units having a surface area substantially larger than that of either of said end walls, and comprising a pair of spaced inner and outer panels extending across 'the corresponding. side of said Utframe, and a peripheral frame separating and secured to said inner and outer panels, said peripheral frame being of such thickness that the panels of each pair of panels are incapable of touching each other by flexing, whereby any stress on'the outer panel is transmitted to the peripheral frame and from said peripheral frame to said U-frame edgewise thereof,

and a lid closing the case, and fiat glass in said case confined in the U-frame between said side wall units and;

extending transverse to the planes of said boards, whereby said flat glass is protectively packaged in said case. 

